ما بالُ شمسِ ضحانا في منازلها

ما بالُ شمسِ ضحانا في منازلها

قد غالها من أعالي جريها السَّلْخُ

قد غالها من أعالي جريها السَّلْخُ

What ails our forenoon sun in its stations?

Why does the bright sun at noon in her dwelling-place

Stripping has snatched it from the heights of its course.

Seem as though she had been overcome from the height of her course by swooning?

والبدر من بعد ما هلّت أشعته

والبدر من بعد ما هلّت أشعته

أطفا جمال محيّا نوره المَسخُ

أطفا جمال محيّا نوره المَسخُ

And the full moon, after its rays had shone forth,

And the full moon after she has let flow her rays

Had the beauty of its light’s countenance quenched by disfigurement.

Has darkened the beauty of her face and quenched her light with eclipse?

وأَليلَ الليلُ في وسط النهار وقد

وأَليلَ الليلُ في وسط النهار وقد

قام الرقود ولم يُنهضْهمُ النفخ

قام الرقود ولم يُنهضْهمُ النفخ

And night deepened in the midst of day, while

And the night in the midst of the day draws her skirt

The sleepers had risen, though no blast had roused them.

And the sleepers have risen, though the trumpet sounded them not.

فقيل إنا رأينا الرب مرتفعاً

فقيل إنا رأينا الرب مرتفعاً

على الصليب وأوهى جنبَه الشدخ

على الصليب وأوهى جنبَه الشدخ

Then it was said: We have seen the Lord raised aloft

For they say, “We have seen the Lord crucified

Upon the cross, and a crushing blow has weakened his side.

And the spear pierced His side, breaking the bones.”

لا غرو أن تنطوي الأكوان في نفقٍ

لا غرو أن تنطوي الأكوان في نفقٍ

ويعتري نورَها التكوير والنسخ

ويعتري نورَها التكوير والنسخ

No wonder the worlds fold themselves into a tunnel,

No wonder if the worlds fall into chaos and decay

And their light is overtaken by rolling-up and effacement.

And their splendor is spoiled and turned into nothingness.